Mecke Second, But He Satisfies Trainer

HORSE RACING

April 24, 1995|By DAVE JOSEPH Staff Writer

HIALEAH - — Three weeks after finishing third in the Jim Beam Stakes behind Serena's Song and Tejano Run, James Lewis Jr.'s Mecke put in his final prep for the Kentucky Derby by racing across Hialeah Park's turf course.

A 3-year-old Florida-bred son of Maudlin, Mecke fell 11/2-lengths short of catching Guy Burt's 21-1 longshot Highest Yield in the $50,000 Citation Stakes. Despite the second-place finish, trainer Manny Tortora was set to ship his Tropical Park Derby winner to Churchill Downs on April 31 for the Derby.

"He did fine," said Tortora, whose colt also finished third in the Florida Derby and has finished first, second or third in 14 of his 17 starts for earnings of $369,070. "He'll send him to Churchill next week, and we'll go from there."

Tortora's choice of the Citation as a Derby prep was unusual but fit his plan well. Mecke had injured an eye during the running of the Beam. So instead of leaving him in Kentucky, Tortora brought Mecke back to Florida so he could monitor his colt's condition. Mecke's eye turned out to be fine.

"So rather than work him, we figured we might as well run him on the turf," Tortora said. "It's easier on him."

Ridden by Herb McCauley, Mecke raced fourth, four-wide around the first turn of the Citation, a lot closer than Tortora wanted the colt placed.

"I wanted him way back," Tortora said.

"He was a little more aggressive than I thought he should be," McCauley said. "He kept tugging against the reins."

While Bullet Trained set the early pace, Highest Yield, ridden by Ruben Hernandez, drove to the lead along the hedge down the stretch for the victory. Mecke, who had dropped back around the final turn, gamely came back down the stretch for second. Smells And Bells finished third.

Highest Yield, who was moved to the barn of Dan Hurtak three weeks ago, ran five times at Gulfstream and finished third twice against allowance company across the turf. A son of Settlement Day, Highest Yield came around under Hurtak's shedrow and responded with a huge win.

"I just wish I had this horse earlier," Hurtak said. "He can run on turf or dirt."